The Liberal Party and the Public Service: A History Lesson

Today Justin Trudeau published an open letter to public servants attempting to convince them what a friend they have in the Liberal Party.  I can only assume that Mr. Trudeau is hoping that public servants have forgotten or are ignorant of the Liberals track record.

In the not so distant past (at least in historical terms) there was a wildly unpopular Conservative government that used legislation to impose its will on public servants and by-pass collective bargaining (sound familiar).  And then there was an election, the Liberals swept to power and all the public servants lived happily ever after...  Not so much.

The year was 1993 and the Liberals social welfare platform contributed strongly to its victory.  But once in power, the Liberal government reneged on most of  its election promises and turned on its own employees, by not only sacrificing their collective bargaining rights it ignored pay equity legislation and eliminated five times as many jobs as the Conservative government they replaced.

Given how many times Mr. Trudeau has flip-flopped on his positions during this campaign these sentiments, on his commitment to Canada's public servants are best taken with a grain of salt and maybe a shot of tequila.

Denying Women Canadian Citizenship Does Nothing to Fight Opression

Are Stephen Harper and the Conservatives actually trying to argue that denying a woman citizenship for wearing the niqab is somehow promoting equal rights?  It would seem to me that by denying a woman citizenship, the government is actually contributing to oppression rather than fighting it. 

Ironically, many of the same people that are so offended by the niqab are the same people that are also offended by topless women sunbathing on the beach.  One thing it would seem that all cultures and societies have in common is that to varying degrees they all feel justified in imposing a standard of modesty on women.  If a woman breaks the established standard she may subjected to harassment and potentially physical assault.  One only has to look at how often what a woman was wearing is discussed in sexual assault trials to find evidence of this.

If Mr. Harper wants to challenge the oppression of women, he should re-establish funding to Status of Women Canada rather than stand in judgment on women wearing a niqab.




Mulcair, Harper spar over niqab controversy at leaders' debate

Tories cut off funding to women's lobby groups

Torries want ability to Jail Canadians without Cause

The Senate Bill S-7 being debated at third reading today will give authorities the ability to detain people for up to 12 months even if they are not suspected of any crimes or potential crimes.  Mr. Sullivan MP for York-South Weston describes this best.

He said:

" [The] individual is not a person suspected of being a terrorist, by the way. That is a person who is maybe a relative, maybe a friend. That person, then, would be subject, under the bill, to serious, preventative detention measures.

    As it turns out, this kind of preventative detention was there in the previous act and was never used. Police have managed without this kind of measure to stop terrorism. So, what would its effect be?

    I would like to refer to good, old Uncle Albert, in Moose Jaw, whose nephew, for whatever reason, is suspected of some kind of terrorist act. And so, because they cannot find the nephew, the police come to Uncle Albert's door, put him in jail for a day, then take him before a judge and argue that Uncle Albert might know where the nephew is, so we cannot let Uncle Albert have any more guns. We cannot let Uncle Albert leave the country because we have to be able to interrogate Uncle Albert, Uncle Albert in Moose Jaw, who has done nothing. The police do not suspect him of any terrorism. He just happens to be the uncle of the nephew they do suspect.

    What happens? Uncle Albert says, because he is from Moose Jaw and because he is a farmer and has to keep the varmints off his property, "I can't give up my firearms. I'm not giving up my firearms. I refuse." There would be no choice, then, but to put him in jail for up to 12 months.

    That is the kind of thing that could happen to Uncle Albert in Moose Jaw, who has absolutely no terrorist inclination whatsoever. However, because he is related to somebody the police are only investigating because they suspect there might be some kind of terrorist activity, Uncle Albert would be put in jail for up to 12 months.

    That is not the Canada that I want to be part of. That is not the Canada that Canadians have come to expect, to have as part of their rights and freedoms the right and freedom not to be imprisoned without conviction, without a trial, without a judge.

    That is exactly what the Conservatives are suggesting should happen. That is one of the things to which the NDP said, "Whoa, that goes too far", and the Conservatives said, "Too bad. This is the way we like it. We want this preventative detention to apply to anybody, not just people we suspect of being terrorists, but people who are peripherally related." That would take the bill way too far."

The NDP proposed an amendment to the bill that would make it clear that anybody not suspected of being involved in terrorist activity could not be subject to 'preventative detention' and here was the government response:

"   The recognizance with conditions in its present form would provide the potential for a recognizance with conditions to be imposed...[on a] person who would be subject to the recognizance with conditions [who] is not necessarily the person carrying out a terrorist activity. The proposed amendment [from the NDP] would seek to restrict the application of this measure....

Because that is inconsistent with the policy intent underpinning the provision, we are opposed to it."

The Liberal Party of Canada has also indicated that they will support this bill.  The debate continues in the house today.

Fiscal Responsibility Starts with Factual Information

When Prime Minister Harper ran for office in 2006, he promised to clean up Ottawa. He created the Parliamentary Budget Office so Canadians would know what our government is doing with our money.

The Budget Office has been an unqualified success at cutting through political rhetoric and looking at the straight numerical facts.

From F-35's to prisons, Kevin Page, our first federal budget watchdog, showed that he could hold government accountable for fiscal mismanagement. But Harper let Kevin Page's term expire just before the Tories released the 2013 budget.  

Since taking office the Federal Conservatives have had more closed committee meetings, where the  information is not  divulged to the public, than any other Canadian Government.  If our government believes they can hide their plans from public scrutiny they will be more likely to do things that Canadians don't want.  

Stephen Harper has been extremely secretive on how and with whom he plans to replace Kevin Page our current PBO.   The identities of the people who sit on the PBO search committee are being hidden, even from elected Members of Parliament. The search committee hasn't met yet -- and, Kevin Page has even been banned from meeting with the committee!

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's fiscal policies have not held up to fiscal oversight and now he is backing away from his commitment to the Parliamentary Budget Office.

The Trouble with Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program

Many feel bad for the Royal Bank Employees being replaced by temporary foreign workers however they are only the latest example of what is wrong with the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in Canada.

Canada's Foreign worker program has been criticized greatly by the NDP for its potential for abuse.  The NDP on several occasions when discussing the legislation policing Foreign workers have stated time and again that there was nothing preventing companies operating in Canada from firing Canadian workers and hiring temporary foreign workers to replace them.

Common problems and discussion around Canada's Temporary Foreign Workers Program

• Paying foreign workers a much reduced salary

House of Commons Thursday May 17, 2012

Mr. Mike Sullivan (York South—Weston, NDP):

    The other issue that covers this whole immigration thing is the issue of temporary foreign workers. It is another example of the doublespeak we get from the government about how it wants to welcome refugees and welcome new Canadians, but we will now have a situation where temporary foreign workers are being allowed into this country and will be paid 15% less than everybody else. That will drive down wages. The minister says that it is only for those jobs where we have a shortage. We know there are jobs out there. Airline pilots are being brought in as temporary foreign workers. There is no shortage of airline pilots in this country, but we have companies bringing airline pilots to this country as temporary foreign workers, and now they can pay them 15% less. That is just going to drive down wages in this country.

    Those are the kinds of immigration policies that we do not agree with, including this bill.

House of Commons Wednesday October 17, 2012

Ms. Jinny Jogindera Sims (Newton—North Delta, NDP):  

    Mr. Speaker, what is clear is that Canadians cannot trust Conservatives.

    Companies are planning to hire as many as 2,000 temporary foreign workers to work in B.C. coal mines. Conservatives have encouraged more foreign workers by allowing companies to pay them 15% less than Canadian workers. This is from the same government whose junior minister of finance told out-of-work Canadians that they should go and get a job in the mines.

    Why will the government not defend Canadian workers?

    

Hon. Diane Finley (Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, CPC):  

    Mr. Speaker, we are doing exactly that. For any company to bring in offshore workers, they must first prove that there are no Canadians available to do the job. We want to make sure that Canadians get first crack at every job in this country.

House of Commons  Tuesday, Oct 30 , 2012

[Translation]

Mr. Yvon Godin:

    They want me to talk about Bill C-45. So I will talk about temporary foreign workers. Does it make sense for us to bring in temporary foreign workers who will be paid 15% less than Canadians? What does this mean? It means that employers will be able to keep temporary workers in their businesses. There is a reason why Canadians who go to work in Cap-Pelé are sent home after working 20 hours. Temporary workers can stay for 40 hours.

    There is a reason that, in Caraquet, some workers are not called back to work in a fish plant. Temporary foreign workers have taken their place because the employer can pay them 15% less and make them work in a different way given the regulations in effect in New Brunswick. There are laws that are not obeyed in New Brunswick. If the poor foreign worker who wants to earn money disagrees with what his employer says, the employer calls Immigration Canada and says that the worker he got is not working out.

    How can employers bring temporary foreign workers to their workplaces when the unemployment rate in Acadie—Bathurst is 20%? That is crazy.

    Here is what the Conservatives are doing with this bill: they are opening the door to what I call "foreign worker slavery" and to the loss of jobs for local workers. Then they turn around and tell us that they want our people to work.

    Here is what they really want: they want our people to go work out west, and they want foreign workers to do seasonal jobs, pay taxes and pay employment insurance premiums before being sent back to their country without receiving any benefits at all.

House of Commons  Monday November 19 2012

Ms. Jinny Jogindera Sims (Newton—North Delta, NDP):  

    Mr. Speaker, a new report suggests unscrupulous agencies are charging thousands of dollars to recruit lower wage, temporary foreign workers to work in B.C. coal mines. It is no wonder companies are turning to foreign workers when the Conservatives allow them to pay them 15% less than Canadian workers.

    Why is the government undermining Canadian workers? Will the minister stop this abuse of temporary foreign workers and start focusing on creating jobs for Canadians?

Hon. Diane Finley (Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, CPC):  

    Mr. Speaker, we believe that Canadians should always have first crack at every job opportunity. In fact, there is a requirement that if a company is bringing in workers from offshore, the company must first prove that it has done extensive advertising and attempts to recruit Canadian workers unsuccessfully.

Ms. Jinny Jogindera Sims (Newton—North Delta, NDP):  

    Mr. Speaker, last Friday officials of the northern B.C. mining company that hired hundreds of temporary foreign workers told a federal court that they did advertise those jobs in Canada. However, what they failed to say was that they tried to squeeze Canadian workers, offering $17 less per hour than the standard rate. Now a review of the program will not help these workers. Will the minister immediately suspend these temporary foreign worker visas so Canadian workers will have a fair chance to apply for these jobs?

Hon. Diane Finley (Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, CPC):  

    Mr. Speaker, Canadians must have first crack at all the jobs that are available in this country. In terms of this specific case, because it is now before the courts it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further.

House of Commons  Thursday November 22 2012

Ms. Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain, NDP):  

    Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago in a statement about the 200 B.C. mining jobs that went to temporary foreign workers, the minister said that she was not satisfied with the process. The company said it followed the rules and would now like to know what she meant, and so would Canadians.

    Is she saying that the company was dishonest in its application or is she admitting that she did not apply her own rules appropriately?

   

Hon. Diane Finley (Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, CPC):  

    Mr. Speaker, our goal is to make sure that Canadians get first crack at every job that is available in this great country. That is why employers who want to bring in temporary foreign workers are required to prove that they have made a legitimate and responsible effort to find qualified Canadians.

    We want to make sure that the process in place for employers to follow does exactly that. That is why we are reviewing it, to make sure that the process will protect jobs for Canadians.

Ms. Jinny Jogindera Sims (Newton—North Delta, NDP):  

    Mr. Speaker, the minister has already admitted that the process is not working. British Columbians were passed over by a process the government implemented, and this from a party that suggested the unemployed should go and work in a mine.

    The Conservatives are failing unemployed Canadians. Either the company played by the rules and the process is broken, or the company broke the rules and those are illegitimate visas.

    Which is it and why will the minister not suspend those visas?

Hon. Diane Finley (Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, CPC):  

    Mr. Speaker, we do want to make sure that Canadians get first crack at all the jobs that are available in this country. That is why we require employers who want to bring in foreign workers to prove beyond a doubt that they have conducted a responsible search for qualified Canadians.

House of Commons Monday December 10  2012

Ms. Jinny Jogindera Sims (Newton—North Delta, NDP):  

    Mr. Speaker, the depth of Conservative mismanagement of the temporary foreign worker program is truly shocking.

    Documents released on Friday show major problems with the process for approving labour market opinions. For example, the ability to speak Mandarin was one of the listed requirements for the mining jobs in B.C. No wonder the company claims it could not find enough Canadian workers.

    Does the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism believe rubber-stamping ensures a strong system? Will he suspend the visas while this program is being investigated?

Hon. Diane Finley (Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, CPC):  

    Mr. Speaker, the requirements as described by the member opposite are totally unacceptable.

    The official languages of this country are English and French, period. That is what is required to do a job here in this country as far as we are concerned.

    We want to make sure that Canadians get first crack at every job available in this country and that temporary foreign workers are only brought in when efforts to find Canadians to do the job are unsuccessful.

• Reduced protections for the foriegn workers already in the country

House of Commons Wednesday, October 3 2012

Mr. Peter Julian (Burnaby—New Westminster, NDP):

    Even though the government likes to make up figures for some kind of job and economic record that really come from science fiction, the reality is that most of the jobs created in our growing population are part-time or temporary. We have replaced full-time family-sustaining manufacturing jobs with temporary and part-time work, and people are trying to cobble together a number of different part-time jobs to try to make ends meet.

    In the midst of this, we have seen an unprecedented expansion of temporary foreign workers. These workers are brought in and are not subject to our health and safety standards. We have seen so many cases of abuse in British Columbia and right across the country. Temporary foreign workers are simply being pulled away from the health and safety standards that we have, are paid far below our Canadian standards, are given no rights and are sent home at the end of whatever contract they have. This explosion of temporary foreign workers is something that we see everywhere, whether in construction projects where these workers are housed in poor living conditions or the local Tim Hortons where they are brought in and put into very difficult conditions.

    I will give an example. I know of a case where temporary foreign workers were brought in to work at a business in one particular area for a per diem. Because there was no inspection process, no oversight whatsoever, those temporary foreign workers then had to pay an extraordinary compulsory amount to their employer to sleep in a bed in a small basement at night. In other words, they became indentured servants where they were ordered to spend all of the money they earned in the day on astronomical fees for their poor living arrangements. When they tried to move out, the owner told them they would have to keep paying the hundreds of dollars they were being charged every week for their accommodation, even though they were no longer sleeping in those tiny little beds in the basement. That is just one example of the many abuses we are seeing.

    Under the current government there has been a widespread explosion of temporary foreign workers being brought in with no monitoring, safety standards and oversight provided, or responsibility taken by the government. That is simply not reflective of Canadian values. That is not reflective of building the kinds of communities that we want to see. It is not reflective of Canada's tradition, wherein new Canadians come here and join our communities, bring their families, contribute and work hard, and as a result the whole community and whole country prospers. This is just one aspect of what has been a very mean spirited approach by the government not in keeping with our fundamental values.